Tissue-Specific Regulation of Angiotensinogen and Angiotensin II Receptor Gene Expression in Deoxycorticosterone Acetate-Salt Hypertensive Rats

Molecular regulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) was investigated in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension. The expression of renin, angiotensinogen and angiotensin II receptor genes in the kidney and liver was determined by Northern blot analysis in rats which were made DOCA-salt hypertensive over the period of 2 or 4 weeks. Along with the hypertension, renin mRNA was decreased in the remnant kidney. The expression of angiotensinogen gene was not significantly altered in the kidney, but was significantly decreased in the liver. The expression of angiotensin II receptor gene was increased in the kidney, while it remained unaltered in the liver. The duration of hypertension did not affect the altered gene expression. It is suggested that the components of RAS are transcriptionally regulated in DOCA-salt hypertension in a tissue-specific manner.